STANDISH, Maine – For the 14th annual event, members of the Saint Joseph's College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) came together once again to support Operation Christmas Child, a global Christmas gift outreach project operated by Samaritan's Purse.
On Sunday, November 16, 2025, representatives from each SJC athletic team gathered on campus to assemble and pack shoeboxes filled with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies. These gifts will be shipped to children ages 2–14 in communities around the world.
Student-athletes worked assembly-line style to fill each box with items such as washcloths, socks, hair accessories, toy cars, stuffed animals, pencils, crayons, coloring books, bouncy balls, and more—every item generously donated by SAAC members and SJC athletic programs.
Under the leadership of SAAC Co-Advisors Theresa Arsenault and Tiffany Miller-Gagnon, the group packed 100 total boxes, continuing Saint Joseph's tradition of service and matching last year's total. The completed shoeboxes were added to the regional shipment coordinated through Royal Ridge Church of God in Scarborough, Maine. With Samaritan's Purse's tracking feature, SAAC members will later learn which countries their boxes were delivered to.
Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse, invites people of all ages to participate in simple, hands-on mission projects that bring joy and hope to children in need. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way and, together with local churches worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Help Support the Cost of Shipping!
Each shoebox requires a small shipping donation to reach its destination. If you would like to support SAAC's efforts and help cover these shipping costs, please consider contributing using the link below:
https://www.boostmyschool.com/orgs/saint-josephs-maine/campaigns/saint-josephs-maine-2025-saac-operation-christmas-child-fundraiser
Your generosity directly helps deliver joy to children around the world this holiday season.
